Seems that a lot of posters here believe that it's perfectly reasonable (and constitutional) for the government to sponsor one particular group of religions (Christianity) as long as they do not declare any particular "state" religion.

Compare and contrast the practical implications of both a state religion and a state sponsored relgion. Why would one violate the 1st Amendment but not the other?

They can be a member of a religion, they can practice that religion, but they cant use the authority of the state to compel that religion. So Kennedy can be as Catholic as he wants, and Carter can be as Baptist as he wants (Neither one of them seemed that enthusiastic) but if they start spending money to preach... That is a different kettle of fish.

Atheism is not a religion. An atheist, in not believing in God, has no dog in the fight of belief systems.
NO ONE can prove that my religous beliefs are false. NO ONE. That is because all religous beliefs are beliefs only and can not be proven.
Please inform us where, ANYWHERE,are there any references whatsoever to God in the US Constitution.
The Founders had EVERY oppurtunity to put it in and voted that down. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not a nation of man and his religions, we are a nation of LAWS.
If you want to have a religous government of any form, they do it the religous and God way in Iran. Delta is ready when you are.

Atheism is not a religion. An atheist, in not believing in God, has no dog in the fight of belief systems.
NO ONE can prove that my religous beliefs are false. NO ONE. That is because all religous beliefs are beliefs only and can not be proven.
Please inform us where, ANYWHERE,are there any references whatsoever to God in the US Constitution.
The Founders had EVERY oppurtunity to put it in and voted that down. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not a nation of man and his religions, we are a nation of LAWS.
If you want to have a religous government of any form, they do it the religous and God way in Iran. Delta is ready when you are.

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Atheism is a religion the same way zero is a number. If the state enforces atheism that is in fact a state sponsored religion.

Besides, you dodged my point that the state does not promote Christianity. Secondly, majority rules, the minority can't whine about the majority's religious preferences. They could, but no one would care. Like NAMBLA or other fucked-up people, the majority doesn't need to allow/consider their whines.

Atheism is not a religion. An atheist, in not believing in God, has no dog in the fight of belief systems.

Click to expand...

True on the religious point Atheism does not meet the criteria of a "religion" , however it does require FAITH since it's a belief system that is based on the premise of something which cannot be proven by current scientific method. The same can be said about the belief system of those of us that have faith in the existence of a "creator" yet do not subscribe to any particular religion.

NO ONE can prove that my religous beliefs are false. NO ONE. That is because all religous beliefs are beliefs only and can not be proven.

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Which is why it's called "faith".

Please inform us where, ANYWHERE,are there any references whatsoever to God in the US Constitution.
The Founders had EVERY oppurtunity to put it in and voted that down. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not a nation of man and his religions, we are a nation of LAWS.

Click to expand...

Well said and I agree 100%, however you appear to ignore the state constitutions some of which do in fact contain direct references to god, this speaks to the importance that faith played in the "founding era" of the nation.

A couple examplesMaine (Preamble)
"We the people of Maine, in order to establish justice, insure tranquility, provide for our mutual defense, promote our common welfare, and secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings of liberty, acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity, so favorable to the design; and, imploring God's aid and direction in its accomplishment, do agree to form ourselves into a free and independent State, by the style and title of the State of Maine and do ordain and establish the following Constitution for the government of the same. "

Rhode Island(Preamble)
"We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution of government. "

If you want to have a religous government of any form, they do it the religous and God way in Iran. Delta is ready when you are.

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I don't know anybody outside of the extreme religious radicals that is advocating anything like an Iranian form of theocracy in the United States and by all appearances this is a very small (but sometimes vocal) minority which isn't emblematic of either mainstream conservative or progressive views.

Allowing ONE religion to put RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS on gov't property IS "STATE SPONSORED" religion. If you are going to put a Ten Commandments display on govt owned property then you have to put a similar display from EVERY OTHER RELIGION to avoid a conflict of interest. It's just that SIMPLE!!! So to avoid a "PUBLIC SQUARE" full of religious monuments it is better to have NONE!!! If you NEED to see the Ten Commandments then you can go a CHURCH what a concept huh?

"True on the religious point Atheism does not meet the criteria of a "religion" , however it does require FAITH since it's a belief system that is based on the premise of something which cannot be proven by current scientific method. The same can be said about the belief system of those of us that have faith in the existence of a "creator" yet do not subscribe to any particular religion."

So it requires FAITH to know there isn't a MONSTER in your closet at night not just COMMON SENSE!!!???

Atheism is not a religion. An atheist, in not believing in God, has no dog in the fight of belief systems.
NO ONE can prove that my religous beliefs are false. NO ONE. That is because all religous beliefs are beliefs only and can not be proven.
Please inform us where, ANYWHERE,are there any references whatsoever to God in the US Constitution.
The Founders had EVERY oppurtunity to put it in and voted that down. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not a nation of man and his religions, we are a nation of LAWS.
If you want to have a religous government of any form, they do it the religous and God way in Iran. Delta is ready when you are.

Click to expand...

Atheism is a religion the same way zero is a number. If the state enforces atheism that is in fact a state sponsored religion.

Besides, you dodged my point that the state does not promote Christianity. Secondly, majority rules, the minority can't whine about the majority's religious preferences. They could, but no one would care. Like NAMBLA or other fucked-up people, the majority doesn't need to allow/consider their whines.

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THIS person would be MORE than happy to enforce an IRANIAN style THEOCRACY because "majority rules". But he is a FUCKING IDIOT because the CONSTITUTION trumps the "majority rules" concept and that is EXACTELY WHY we have a seperation of CHURCH and STATE!!!

1. the state does not sponsor Christianity. (thats a lie)
2. a state religion happens when the state sponsors atheism by removing references to God.

Can the state sponsor atheism as a religion on behalf of a tiny minority when the Constitution does not?

Whining about Christianity when 85% of the population are Christian is going nowhere, so why whine about it?

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What does removing references to god have to do with atheism? I am not an atheist but if a atheist has no right to seek political influence over me then I have no right to seek political influence over him which is why references to god outside the founders intent, Natures God as the authority for Natural Law, should be stripped from the political domain.

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